What's Going to Happen When the Trumpists Realize the America They Yearn for Is Gone? - Joy-Ann Reid

[DonViejo]

The president’s hard-core backers want an America that isn’t coming back. What are we going to do? What are they going to do?

JOY-ANN REID
09.09.17 12:01 AM ET

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll—which shows a yawning cultural divide between Trump voters and Republicans on the one hand and everyone else on the other on everything from gay marriage to immigration—doesn’t tell us much that we didn’t know, but it does tell us something we should remember. The United States is not one country but two; and like many Western democracies, our two halves are cleaving apart.

The fault lines will be familiar to anyone who has observed Europe as its rural and urban populations speed to opposite societal poles, and as influxes of non-white immigrants and refugees, driven by war or increasingly by climate change, combine with globalization and a free-moving labor force to alter the social compact. In the recent French presidential election, the divide was described as between the “metropolitans”—the urban, modern France that favored Emmanuel Macron and the “peripherals”—the rural, aging France that clung to the far-right Marine Le Pen.

The U.S. version pits what Stephen Miller and the Bannonites derisively call the “cosmopolitan elites”—but which actually includes both white urbanites and majorities of every non-white and non-Christian ethnic group at all socioeconomic levels—versus the nearly all-white-Christian Trump coterie—rural, suburban and exurban. It’s “high output” America—the fewer than 500 counties Hillary Clinton carried, which account for 64 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product—versus “low output America”—the more than 2,600 Trump counties, which nonetheless contribute just a third of nation’s economic output. And as Ta-Nehisi Coates points out in his blunt and brilliant new essay, it’s a fault line Trump and the Bannonites have also openly cleaved around white identity politics.

Nomenclature aside, the United States and Europe face the same foundational questions: how to reconcile this shrinking population that clings to retrogression but that even in its diminished state wields significant political power, with the needs and preferences of the nation’s majority. Not to mention with reality.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/whats-going-to-happen-when-the-trumpists-realize-the-america-they-yearn-for-is-gone

[ret5hd]

1. Gone? It never was.

[oberliner]

2. In 1950, whites made up 90 percent of the population of the United States

Latinos were less than 2 percent.

That's what they are talking about.

[Ilsa]

13. I understand what you are talking about.

You are saying that the white male philosophy was always largely mythical. It wasn't really a "pulled-up-by-the-bootstraps" type of success. Government aid and handouts, not to mention theft from Native Americans, helped settled the prairies and West, etc. The social safety net and GI Bill of the mid-20th century provided for the poor to be lifted out of poverty to receive educations, and blue collar jobs kept families in the middle class thanks to unions.

That's a very abridged version of what you mean, I think. It's not just about ethnic demographics and statistics.

[Roy Rolling]

23. And that 90% ?

A vast majority were not nationalists. Since the 1950s we were taught the value of all races and creeds in the success of America. Most accepted that and wished a better life for others. That was the 1950s--turmoil but a core of decent people.

These modern-day revisionists want an America that never existed--except among the few who thought their success depended on the failure of others.

I was there, there were conflicts, but the core of Americans rejected the hate that Bannon, et al, yearn for. We rejected them as idiots in the 1950s, we reject them as idiots now.

It matters little about the changing demographics.

[DBoon]

29. WWII had just ended

And many American veterans had experienced first hand the end result of racist nationalism

We saw stuff like this:

[clu]

30. i went to high school in the 90s

and there was a skinhead there. sure people talked about it but it wasn't a point of real disruption (well maybe he shot up the front doors of the school over a weekend). with all of the safe space movements and zhe/zir, i don't think that skinhead would be allowed to attend now - he might be forced to dress differently. as a result, I can see why low/average IQ whites feel marginalized, and moreover there is less room for discussion both for and against their side. I think most low/average IQ trump voters who may have been hoodwinked from fake news would get over legislating zhe/zir or safe spaces but this speaks to the extent some minds can be seduced by a message.

[ismnotwasm]

34. Nobody should have to put up with a fucking nazi.

I don't need a "safe space" for calling bullshit on it.

[clu]

37. he wasn't given a stump to speak from

are we banning doc martins?

[MrsCoffee]

39. No kidding.

I'm still scratching my head after reading that post.

[Ilsa]

35. I said it is not about ethnic demographics.

Yes, learning the value of being a diverse nation, while having common goals, would have been a part of war and post-war experience, something else the nationalists now would deny or deride. They want to go back to a wicked dream, not reality.

[calimary]

3. Reality. It bites. Bites even those who insist there's no such thing.

trump sure has "built that wall," hasn't he.

[PdxSean]

4. A stand-out and telling factoid from the above.

It’s “high output” America—the fewer than 500 counties Hillary Clinton carried, which account for 64 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product—versus “low output America”—the more than 2,600 Trump counties, which nonetheless contribute just a third of nation’s economic output.

[Alpeduez21]

6. This really jumped out at me, too.

That's because minorities and illegals are taking all the jobs will be the numbskull argument back from them.

[Blue_true]

20. The high output versus low output thing.

I have often seen posts here on DU saying that Trump voters are wealthier. How is that, income and assets given to reporters or surveyors is SELF REPORTED. Hard data says that Clinton supporters are likely REALLY the most wealthy, something like 65% of the wealthiest zip codes went to her, her support was massive in the wealthiest states in the country, only one or two major cities went to Trump, major cities are concentrating more of the nation's wealth, Clinton took groups that have the highest incomes. Don't give me the shit about millionaires and billionaires, Clinton had plenty of those in her corner.

Trump supporters SELF REPORT that they are wealthier, but factual, hard data that is not self reported say otherwise.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

24. Interesting point, about the self-reporting.

It aligns with the terrible fear so many have of inheritance taxes, as if they are going to have the five million or so dollars to leave behind when they die.

[Mariana]

31. Remember Joe the fake-ass plumber?

He just flat out lied to then-Senator Obama's face about his income and the taxes he said he paid. Then the truth about his circumstances was found out and made public. Anyone with sense ridiculed him for being so stupid as to seek out a TV camera, get in front of it, and lie like that, but the pukes made him into a damn hero.

[kairos12]

8. Red state counties are the real takers.

[calimary]

10. Indeed. That's a VERY good point.

Takes me back to the growing discomfort I feel as a donor state resident, from one of those "high output" areas. I find myself getting tired of having to prop up those red state "low output" areas. Sometimes I find myself not wanting to help them anymore. I find myself thinking - "you hate government? You hate us 'libtards' in our blue states who are embracing the future and evolving, forward-looking societies? Well, FINE! Go be on your own then. Go back to the 18th century or the 6th century or even 500 BC or whenever-the-hell it is that you think is better than now. Learn to do it without our help, our innovations, our open, inclusive societal structures, AND our tax money."

It's becoming an ongoing conflict within me. I know that's not a good way to view things, but sometimes that's directly where I go. I needled a conservative-leaning friend about that recently. My friend lives in Texas and hangs with rednecks and spent a considerable amount of time insisting that Hurricane Harvey had "NOTHING to do with climate change!" And as I proceeded with my rebuttal, I added that I looked forward to watching all his "I hate the government" friends yelling for FEMA help and government leadership - and funding. Which I reminded him comes from TAX MONEY because charity and churches alone can't handle these extremes of need.

I'm really conflicted about all this. I believe strongly in what Matthew 25:35-45 says about how you treat "the least of these" - but there's a growing part of me that just wants to say "screw 'em." Seems to me if one believes in tolerance, one really does need to practice it. And it's DAMN HARD!!!

[Lonestarblue]

17. My tax dollar resentment

I'm glad to see someone else share the thoughts that I've been having lately as well. I have some great arguments with myself! The angry angel says we should just let the red states secede and form their own government, with the idea that blue states would take in any who want to move (which would include me since I live in a red state). Without blue state tax dollars and with Republican trickle down economic policies, the new country would be as bankrupt as Kansas in no time.

My better angel argues that this would be enormously unfair to the millions of Democrats who live in red states and cannot move or don't want to move because of jobs, family, and so on. Then the logistics of military support and security kick in and I know just how unrealistic such a move is. I truly believe in sharing the wealth for the good of all, but, like you, my resentment has been growing and I'm really exasperated with this minority group of right-wing religious, social, and economic extremists forcing the great majority to live under their dictates. I know the key is to run good Democratic candidates and get out the vote, but I'm less confident that we will have fair elections that allow us to elect progressives.

[calimary]

33. I've even taken to hijacking one of their favorite slogans, and turning it upside down.

"YES! You're exactly RIGHT! 'Freedom ISN'T free'! It costs the blood of patriots - AND TAX MONEY."

[justhanginon]

18. Very well said. I find myself in much the same position. Sometimes I just scream

obscenities at the things and people I see on tv news and then later, when the hopefully better side of me comes up, I have the same conflicting emotions. Yes, it is hard and as you say sometimes, "damn hard".

[aeromanKC]

19. No discomfort for them here

They need to feel some pain similar to an addict needing to hit rock bottom. I liken it to being a parent seeing their child do something they warned them time after time after time not to do but of course the child knows better so the parent just has to sit back and watch their child learn a tough lesson.

The only discomfort I have is for everybody else who are being impacted by their childish behavior.

[NastyRiffraff]

36. I'm not at all conflicted

at least, not about the adults acting like spoiled brats, whining about the "govmint" giving away everything to "those people." My only concern about the "low output" is the children of these idiots. They are, so far, blameless, although who knows how much of the poison they've absorbed and may carry into adulthood.

As for the adults, screw them very much, from the extreme Alex Jones/Steve Bannon types to the so-called "moderate" Mike "Dominionist" Pence kind.

[Ilsa]

16. Be careful drawing conclusions to that statement.

A big part of those areas are bread basket or fossil fuel producers, which probably skews the bread basket group way up.

I liken it to saying "teachers are takers because they make less." We cannot always reposition ourselves to be the gdp top dog.

[Yavin4]

21. The 500 counties that Hillary won are probably very diverse.

Diverse in race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preferences, etc. Those 2600 counties that Trump won are probably very rigid and unforgiving of people being different from the norm. Their way leads to a talent drain. If you're a Gay man, are you going to stay in a rural county in Alabama? Or, are you going to move to a more welcoming city like San Francisco and take your talents with you.

[Alpeduez21]

5. Just quit catering to the white male

[BigmanPigman]

7. It won't happen in our lifetimes and probably not even in our granchildren's.

[clu]

38. this is a bad way to characterize it

but good luck and god speed

[thbobby]

9. Rural - Urban or Racist - Antiracist

Could be much the same. Rural folks may be more racist. Still, racism is widespread.

Older, white Americans are still suffering from the culture shock of a black President.

Because he was a great president, many whites are forced to think about white superiority.

A hater hates himself the most. They hide this by blaming others. Poor rural people crave a scapegoat. They hate themselves and their lives. They fantasize about a "Leave it to Beaver World".

America would be great if there were fewer blacks. Or fewer gays. Or fewer hispanics. Or fewer transgenders. Or fewer orientals. Need I go on?

Their support of Trump was a desperate crap shoot on a fantasy that does not and never did exist.

Barak Obama forced America to look into the mirror. It will be good in the long run, but America is suffering in its quake now.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

11. These articles are so frikken pointless - cultists never see the error of their ways, they only

sink deeper into their delusions -listen to rw talk radio sometime, its always very illuminating how they cain explain or rationalize things to fit with their delusions and persecution complexes. Just when you think they cant POSSIBLY excuse some outrageous DT behavior or RW republican stupid remark - they will find a way, every time. In recent yrs now even the majority of establishment repub party is now considered the enemy, along with the quote "KKK democrat party." (the fact that KKK originated out of southern dems pre-1960s civil rights era is twisted around to taint the current version of Dem party)

That certain 30% of americans aint gonna "realize" anything - a waste of time to think they ever will.

[n2doc]

12. They will never realize it

It is a fantasy. Like the Confederate worshippers who long for a return to slavery America, or at least Jim Crow America. It ain't gonna happen, but that won't stop them from wishing and hoping that it will, and folks like Trump and Newt who make money and grab power using this fantasy. MAGA= Bring the CSA back (with new additions!)

[Madam45for2923]

14. and the century they were hoping for also gone with them winds.

[KG]

15. the 'take our country back' train left the station in 1968

[leanforward]

22. Tierney of the minority

Just read the above along with comments. I could not agree more. Those red states on low population and low product are the needy states. Likewise, those states have social needs beyond the states ability to pay.

What I've noticed over the last 10-20 years is the more diverse the population, the more product that community seems to produce. Our diverse communities are supporting the hardheaded communities.

Likewise, Mr Mueller, please continue to follow the money. The oligarch money is critical to dRumpf business.

To me, pRezident dRumpf is a treasonous b******.

[former9thward]

25. Nobody's America is coming back.

Some people yearn for the era when unions were strong and active. That America is gone also and isn't coming back. We all have to adjust.

BTW where and what specifically are these "majorities of non-white and non-Christians"? No urban majority minority group is "non-Christian".

[leftstreet]

28. Yeah, I didn't get that

BTW where and what specifically are these "majorities of non-white and non-Christians"? No urban majority minority group is "non-Christian".

[clu]

26. define trumpist

are we talking about the (IMO) ~30% of conservatives who are honest to goodness racist? if so, they will brush off any policy criticism and focus on keeping illegals out and taxes down.

instead, are we talking about anyone in a swing state or flyover country who voted for trump but will learn to regret it? well (again IMO), some percentage of these are middle of the roaders who voted for change (in their minds - in both 2008 **AND** 2016), and a well-crafted and honest progressive political message may reach them.

is there anyone who lives in what would be considered as a red state federally, but blue to some extent in city or state politics? we might be able to draw some conclusions with that example.

[dlk]

27. White Male Supremacy is Based on Selfishness - They Don't Like to Share

They will not share or change until they have to.

[donco]

32. A few of them

will immigrate to Russia and then promptly get to see the inside of a gulag…of they luckout.

[struggle4progress]

40. Short answer: They will claim we were stabbed in the back